Note

Saturday, July 22, 2017

in·fra·struc·ture n. . An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or system.

I was
watching a History Channel documentary on the aging material infrastructure in
the United States. Infrastructure
is crucial for our survival and has great potential for disaster if not
maintained or improved.

Here it
comes...it got me thinking (again)...

We also have a
spiritual infrastructure,

and its
maintenance is imperative!

Weak
foundations of buildings, tunnels, bridges, dams, etc. present a substantial
risk of catastrophic collapse. If our faith foundation is weak, it too will
collapse, destroying our moral compass. Maintaining a close relationship with God is the concrete and rebar of our spiritual life.

If roads remain in disrepair, the cracks and potholes will continue to expand -
impeding fluid movement from one point to the other or worse yet, causing us to
disappear into a dark abyss. If we fail
to acknowledge the cracks and potholes (sin) in our lives and refrain from asking for His forgiveness and
mercy, our joyful path will be fraught
with continuous detours of hopelessness and despair.

Saturday, July 8, 2017

In our faith journey, it is imperative we quiet ourselves to hear God's word. What is
just as important is to speak to Him. Below is an excerpt
from my devotional, “Embrace the Morning,”
included in the soon to be released, “And God Still Loves Me.”

Life is teeming with obligations and activities. At
times we become overwhelmed; we lose track of priorities. The foremost
priority, our relationship with God, unfortunately,
gets lost in the chaos. We put off praying for a quieter time, we miss church to relax,
and that cycle continues.

Curiously,
what we don't realize is that if we maintain our daily relationship with God,
all things will fall into place. Psalms 107:29-30 makes it entirely clear, “He hushed the storm to silence, the waves of the sea were stilled.
They rejoiced that the sea grew calm, that God brought them to the harbor they
longed for.”

Regardless of how busy we are,
if we start the day conversing with God, He will
still the storm before it begins or give
us the strength to withstand it. If we end the day thanking God, we will retire
serenely, becoming refreshed to Embrace the Morning.

Luke
2:22 told us, “When the days were
completed for their purificationaccording to the law of Moses, they
took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.”

We too need to present ourselves to the Lord through prayer
and meditation. He knows we are here, but wants us to talk to Him and focus on
His word. Through our quiet time with Him,
we are renewed in spirit and ready to face our daily challenges head-on.

A PRAYER

Father, forgive me for the times
I have failed to present myself. May I become rededicated to set aside quiet
time with you in prayer and meditation. My Precious Savior, guide me to
follow your word in my thoughts, words,
and deeds. At day's end may I count my blessings with love and gratitude.
Amen